Social Security Statement from Jim July 2011

"Social Security is hope for the average American working family and taking that hope away is unacceptable."
- Jim Dean, Chair, Democracy for America. Burlington, VT - Statement from Jim Dean, Chair of
Democracy for America in response to reports that Social Security is on
the bargaining table in the Debt Ceiling negotiations:
"The idea of cutting Social Security as part of these debt ceiling
negotiations is simply ridiculous. At a time when America is hurting,
when people are losing their jobs and their homes at an unprecedented
rate, we are now going to tell the average American working family that
they will have the burden of supporting their parents in old age and no
retirement for themselves. The Wall Street Barons who caused this
economic crisis have been getting a free ride for too long, and it's
time for them to pay their fair share, plain and simple.
Cutting Social Security to reduce the national debt is like attacking
Iraq to get Osama Bin Laden -- the two things are not related. Social
Security is running a large surplus in 2011 and by scrapping the cap on
the payroll tax over $107,000 it will be more than solvent for
generations to come.[1] Only 6 percent of Americans have wages above
that cap.[2] Which do we want more? More tax cuts for the rich, or
Social Security for everyone else. Let's keep our priorities straight,
and stop giving away the farm to Republican bullies who got us into this
mess in the first place.
True freedom is the right to a fair wage, a decent life, and hope for
the future. Social Security provides that hope for the average working
American family and taking that hope away is unacceptable and
unAmerican."
1. Social Security Admistration, Annual Statistical Supplement, 2010 (http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/supplement/2010/4b.html#table4.b4)
2. Social Security Administration data, 2011
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